Abstract

Involvement in State Associations is an invaluable experience for all students and an integral supplement to their academic training. These organizations provide leadership experiences, networking opportunities, peer support, and mentoring. Aspiring psychologists affect their future by actively engaging in legislative advocacy, community service, and professional activities. Although many states openly welcome student involvement, few have separate student associations. This poster shows an example of how to start a student state association using MPAGS as an example.

Evolution of MPAGS

MPAGS was approved as a student group within the board of Academic & Scientific Affairs in 2002

One year later (2003) - MPAGS was granted full board status

Allowed for voting privileges on MPA’s Board of Directors

Allowed for visibility on website & newsletter

Received its own budget, resources & support from MPA’s administrative staff

Recruitment

MPAGS is only as strong as its members. Strategies are needed in order to generate new membership successfully

Suggested steps to increase student membership:

Create a membership committee that visits area schools to recruit new members & establish campus representatives

Campus Reps are responsible for advertising events and recruiting new members

Institute Campus Faculty Representation by using existing members of Psychological Associations to be faculty mentors at area colleges

Graduate Student Membership Package

Students are offered a one-time membership fee option based on degree types

Offer flex-pay options in which students could choose to pay their fee in installments

Leadership Positions

Chair - Coordinates efforts of council and with the council directs the activities of MPAGS. Votes at MPA Executive council meetings

Chair-Elect - Presides over and assumes responsibility for MPAGS meetings in chair’s absence and automatically succeeds to office of chair the following year

Communication Chair - Keeps track of and distributes all records including minutes from meetings. Responsible for student submissions to newsletter. Maintains and updates listserv

Advocacy Chair - Coordinates state and federal legislative advocacy efforts with MPAGS campus representatives and acts as liaison to the MPA legislative committee

Membership Chair - Head of all campus representatives, helps recruit new members, and is student representative to the MPA membership committee